Packers-Dolphins Injury Report: Bakhtiari Discusses Comeback From Appendectomy

Packers LT David Bakhtiari on Thursday discussed the challenges of recovering from his appendectomy and what's made it easier to handle.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Thanks to their late-season bye, the Green Bay Packers are mostly healthy headed into Sunday’s game at the Miami Dolphins.

The only player who didn’t practice due to injury on Thursday was left tackle David Bakhtiari due to the emergency appendectomy that’s kept him out of the past two games. Coach Matt LaFleur said Bakhtiari could practice on Friday.

“I’m not a doctor. I have no idea,” Bakhtiari said. “I’m on this journey right now with all y’all. Yes, you guys are coming with. This has been wild. Very random. Kind of popped up out of nowhere. I had no idea that this was something that was happening to me. I went into the doctors, I thought I had maybe strained my ab or something, just wanted him to check it out. And then, literally next thing, I’m laying in bed and they’re shaving my stomach telling me that they’re going to have to cut into me and basically cut my appendix out and staple my colon shut. I’m like, ‘This is wild.’”

Bakhtiari rode a stationary bike at the back of the Don Hutson Center at the start of Thursday’s practice. It’s all part of the physical ramp-up required to get him back on the field from surgery.

“I’m sure anyone who’s had it can relate,” he said. “Sitting up initially from the couch is terrible. The first poop is not fun. You’re going to be constipated and you can’t push or strain. It was a journey. Not one I want to go back on and, thankfully, the surgery that we did, there’s a 0 percent chance I can have it because they cut the whole thing out.”

Combined with the physical and mental challenges required to get back from the knee injury sustained almost exactly two years ago, it’s been a trying time on the field for the former All-Pro. After missing the first two games of this season, Bakhtiari started nine of the next 10. Now, he’s missed the last two and might not play against Miami, either.

Fortunately for Bakhtiari, there’s his newborn daughter to provide love and perspective.

“I think anyone that looks at the journey I’ve been on the last two years, I’ve been put under four times in Jan. 7 will be two years. That’s not cool,” he said. “I don’t wish that on anyone and I don’t enjoy it but that’s the road, that’s what’s written on my life. Tough times don’t last but tough people do.

“I’ll keep rolling with it and eventually it’s going to calm down and I can get back to what has been my regularly programmed scheduling of my life. No matter what happens here at work or anything, the moment I walk through the door, it doesn’t matter what kind of day you’ve had. Like I said, chest time’s the best time. Being with my baby girl, being with my wife and family, it’s been a blessing, it’s been great and I love those moments.”

Packers-Dolphins Thursday Injury Report

Packers

DNP: LT David Bakhtiari (appendectomy/knee), TE Marcedes Lewis (rest).

Limited: S Rudy Ford (wrist/knee), LG Elgton Jenkins, RB Aaron Jones (knee), CB Keisean Nixon (groin).

Full: LB Krys Barnes (hand), QB Aaron Rodgers (thumb/rib).

Dolphins

DNP: LT Terron Armstead (toe/pec/knee), WR River Cracraft (calf), T Eric Fisher (calf).

Limited: OLB Bradley Chubb (knee), CB Keion Crossen (knee), S Jevon Holland (neck), RB Raheem Mostert (rest), OLB Jaelan Phillips (Toe), LB Duke Riley (ribs), S Eric Rowe (hamstring), TE Durham Smythe (quad), RB Jeff Wilson (hip).

Full: QB Teddy Bridgewater (knee), S Elijah Campbell (concussion), CB Kader Kohou (thumb).

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